Unilever expands Sunlight brand with RhamnoClean biosurfactant to capture growing premium market

22 Aug 2024 --- Unilever adds its biosurfactant RhamnoClean, with 100% plant-based renewable and biodegradable cleaning ingredients, to its Sunlight dishwashing liquid.

The FMCG company tells Personal Care Insights, “Sunlight Rhamnoclean enables us to create a premium product that is not reliant on petrochemicals while still delivering great results for consumers, which is transformational for the household care industry.”

The company's scientists spent years formulating Sunlight to set it apart from typical surfactants, which often contain a high level of petrochemicals.

It is launching Sunlight BioCare Nature across all markets after developing further variants for different markets, depending on local needs and trends.

So far, the product has been launched in Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand, where premiumization is the fastest-growing segment of the category, and the company asserts that Sunlight is leading the premium market.

“We know that many consumers want a product that is free from harsh chemicals — yet still delivers excellent cleaning benefits — and our new Sunlight with Rhamnoclean technology delivers just this,” Priyanka Singh, global brand director, Sunlight Hand Dishwash, tells us.

Dishwashing expansion

Seven years ago, in collaboration with Evonik, the company developed rhamnolipid, a 100% natural, biodegradable and renewable biosurfactant.

Unilever adds its biosurfactant to a new range of dish washing liquid.Previously, Unliever’s rhamnolipid technology was launched in Chile in 2019 in its Quix dishwashing liquid. That was the first time it was used in a cleaning product.

The company conducted further pilots in Vietnam in 2021 and in Indonesia and Thailand last year. Following its reported success, it is launching RhamnoClean technology across the Sunlight Hand Dishwash premium range, Sunlight Plus.

To keep up with demand, Evonik built a production facility at its factory in Slovenská Ľupča, Slovakia. It’s the world’s first industrial-scale plant creating rhamnolipids.

Safety and cleanliness

Unilever highlights consumers’ concern about traces of chemical residue left on dishes after washing, which is causing consumers to seek products that are free from harsh chemicals. According to the company, RhamnoClean’s ingredients are safe for babies’ dishes.

“Many consumers prioritize safe formulation and are concerned about traces of chemical residue left on dishes after washing, along with contamination of dirty sponges,” says Singh.

The Sunlight premium range is marketed as “the only” dishwashing product to deliver protection all day.

“Our Sunlight premium range is the only dishwashing product that delivers 24-hour protection against the return of harmful bacteria plus a seven-day shield against the growth of fungi in sponges,” explains Singh.

RhamnoClean’s formulation also passed stringent dermatological tests to ensure it is gentle on the skin.

“We also know that for people with sensitive skin, having a product that actually leaves hands feeling moisturized after use is a game-changer,” Singh concludes.

By Sabine Waldeck

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